The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2015, and October 31, 2016 (see FAQ for exceptions), are automatically nominated for the 2016 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on November 3, 2016, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

A gently bred spinster scandalizes her family by providing
medical care to the poor people in the local village, and even falling in love
with a handsome businessman can’t dissuade her from her mission.

Lady Nita Haddonfield learned basic midwifery and first aid from
her late mother but has taken her medical knowledge to the next level with
years of experience and rigorous study. She spends her evenings reading medical
tracts in Latin and German and subscribes to forward-thinking techniques like
washing surgical tools between patients. But Nita’s siblings, especially her
older brother, the Earl of Bellefonte, worry about Nita exposing herself—and
them—to contagion or wearing herself out laboring to help others. Then Tremaine
St. Michael, a Scottish and French businessman who doesn't use his title of comte, visits the family in order to buy
a herd of rare sheep from the earl. He's captivated by Nita’s intelligence and
selflessness. But he too thinks she’s foolish to risk her own health caring for
the poor. He hopes marriage to him will occupy her so she won’t be tempted to
hare off in the middle of the night delivering babies. But he underestimates
Nita’s dedication and must find a way to accept her desire to protect her
native village and its inhabitants from the incompetent local physician. The
second installment of Burrowes’ (The
Duke’s Disaster, 2015, etc.) new True Gentlemen series is a tightly
woven story that deals with many of the world’s timeless moral issues—poverty,
domestic violence, professional recognition for women, and animal rights. The
characters are complicated and compelling and experience enough personal growth
during the course of the novel to keep the reader enthralled.

Burrowes is at the top of her game, and this latest offering is
not to be missed.

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